There doesn't seem to be specific PH thread, so I'm starting one.
A friend of mine is a big PH fan, hence I have heard various bits of their albums over the years. Their best songs are excellent, their worst ones are still interesting for their oddness. I've had the chance recently to hear the following in full:
A Whiter Shade of Pale (a.k.a. "self-titled")
A Salty Dog
Grand Hotel
Procol's Ninth
Something Magic
I used to think Grand Hotel was their best, but after some of the dross that appeared on Ninth I was pleasantly surprised by Something Magic, which to me has more of a "prog" feel than any of the others. I guess what I mean by that is that some parts of the album have similarities to bits of classic-era Genesis and the like. There seems to be much more emphasis on melodies than on just quirky rhythms and orchestration, as is the case with some of the earlier songs. "The Worm and the Tree" in particular fits the description of prog epic.
On a sour note, whatever possessed the band to cover Lennon/McCartney's "Eight Days a Week"? It doesn't suit them at all, and just sounds lame.
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